Houston Restaurants & Food

Source: Michael Dei Maggi, Executive Chef of Max’s Wine Dive, with Cleverley Stone, food and restaurant journalist

Named as one of the “Top Ten Restaurants” in Texas for 2008 by Texas Monthly, the original Max’s Wine Dive opened in Houston in 2006 and has achieved critical and popular success since its inception. Max’s food has garnered awards for Houston’s “Best Cheeseburger 2007,” “Best Comfort Food 2007,” “Ultimate Grilled Cheese Sandwich,” and “Ultimate Sliders 2008.”

Click here to watch video of Cleverley and Chef Dei Maggi prepare a popular recipe on FOX 26 Morning News.

Risotto Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon blended oil (This is extra virgin oil blended with a canola or vegetable oil. You can buy this in the supermarket. It has a higher smoking point than olive oil alone.)
• 1 shallot, minced
• 1 cup Arborio rice (risotto rice)
• 3 cups light chicken stock
• ½ cup white wine
• 5 sticks lemongrass, cut into 3 inch segments
• 1 cup cilantro, chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste

Risotto Preparation

1. In a medium saucepan heat 1 tablespoon of blended oil and sweat the minced shallot.
2. Add Arborio rice and cook for 2 minutes.
3. Add lemongrass and white wine, constantly stirring. Add half of the chicken stock and stir while maintaining a simmer over medium heat.
4. Add remaining chicken stock and continue to stir. Risotto should be extremely starchy and slightly resilient to the tooth.
5. Add chopped cilantro. Salt and pepper to taste.
6. Pour mixture onto a baking sheet and allow to cool.
7. Remove lemongrass and form mixture into patties or cut out circles with a ring mold.
8. Cook risotto “cake,” by either frying in a nonstick pan over medium flame for 6 minutes on each side OR bake on lightly greased cookie sheet at 350 degrees for 14-18 minutes.

Curry Paste Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons whole ginger, peeled & chopped
• 1 jalapeno, seeded
• 3 bunches cilantro
• 12 basil leaves
• 1 cup blended oil
• 1 10 oz can coconut milk (unsweetened)

Curry Paste Preparation

1. Place all ingredients minus the coconut milk into a blender and pulse into a fine paste.
2. Set aside.

Vegetable Ingredients

• 8 mini-carrots
• 1 cup cleaned French green beans (haricots verts)
• ¼ cup pearl onions
• ¼ cup cherry tomatoes

Vegetable Preparation

1. In a medium sauce add curry paste mixture and one tablespoon of blended oil.
2. Cook three minutes then add vegetables and coconut milk.
3. Cook 4-6 minutes.

Fish Ingredient

• 4 whole rainbow trouts, with head, tail and spinal column removed

Fish Preparation

1. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium high flame and coat pan with one ounce of blended oil, or canola oil.
2. Season trout, inside and out, with salt and pepper.
3. Sear trout 3 minutes in the pan and flip to quickly sear other side.
4. Once flipped place trout into a 350 degree oven for six minutes.
5. While the trout is cooking prepare vegetables & risotto cakes.

Dish Assembly

1. Place veggies in center of plate with sauce.
2. Put risotto cake on top of veggies.
3. Put fish on top of risotto cake.
4. Garnish with lemon wheel